SEVEN POWERS OF QUESTIONS --- SECRETS TO SUCCESSFUL COMMUNICATION
IN LIFE AND AT WORK by Dorothy Leeds. Perigee, 2000
    FORWARD (pxi-xvii)

    PREFACE (pxiii-xx)

      1) Why a book about questions (p1-14)

      2) POWER NUMBER ONE --- Questions demand answers! (p15-35)

      3) POWER NUMBER TWO --- Questions stimulate thinking! (p36-60)

      4) POWER NUMBER THREE --- Questions give us valuable information! (p61-88)

      5) POWER NUMBER FOUR --- Questions put you in control! (p89-109)

      6) POWER NUMBER FIVE --- Questions get people to open up! (p110-130)

        [1] Emotional questions, revealing answers (p110-113)

        [2] The "let's talk about me" factor (p113-115)

        [3] Pursuing the reluctant talker (p116)

        [4] Look for areas of comfort and confidence (p116-118)

        [5] Why don't we open up more? (p118-121)

          (1) We don't have a clear idea what the problem is (p119)

          (2) We have been hurt in the past (p119-120)

          (3) We feel there is a penalty in telling the truth (p120)

          (4) We are afraid of being judged (p120-121)

          (5) We feel our ideas are not appreciated (p121)

        [6] Questions show that you care --- listening to answers and building one question on another (p122-124)

        [7] Put your body into it (p125-126)

        [8] Opening up techniques (p126-127)

          (1) Develop a good rapport (p126)

          (2) Start with broad, open questions (p126)

          (3) Save the most difficult questions for late in the conversation (p127)

          (4) Use nonverbal signals to indicate interest (p126-127)

        [9] Truth, lies, and opening up (p128-130)

      7) POWER NUMBER SIX --- Questions lead to quality listening! (p131-156)

      8) POWER NUMBER SEVEN --- Questions get people to pursuade themselves! (p157-168)

      9) SELL, LEAD, THINK --- Use questions to transform your organization! (p169-215)

        [1] The thinking organization (p169-171)

        [2] Questions as a catalyst for change (p171-173)

        [3] The sales team led the way (p173-174)

        [4] A question of values (p174-177)

        [5] Simple steps toward a questioning culture (p177-179)

          (1) Model the questioning culture (p177)

          (2) Build questioning into every business activity (p177)

          (3) Create multiple platforms for asking and answering (p177-178)

        [6] Sell better --- change your definition (p179-182)

        [7] Questions can transform your salespeople (p182-183)

        [8] Selling and the seven powers --- Always be conversing, clarifying, connecting, gaining commitment, and closing! (p183-187)

        [9] Qualify with quality, close with quantity (p187-189)

        [10] An objection is an unaswered question (p190-192)

        [11] Using questions to close the deal (p192-195)

        [12] Probing the mind of the market (p195-198)

        [13] Everyone is a salesperson! (p198)

        [14] The leadership power of questions (p198-199)

        [15] Hire people who ask questions --- force them to think (p199-201)

        [16] Influencing behavior --- training and mentoring --- questions are the catalyst (p201-204)

        [17] The art of mentoring (p204-206)

        [18] Learn to love meetings (p206-210)

        [19] On-the-job creativity and the power of questions (p210-213)

        [20] Brainstorm with yourself (p213-215)

      10) Closer knit than ever --- How questions can draw families together (p216-243)

      11) Rediscover questions --- recapture and redefine the essential you (p244-270)

      12) The fifty smartest questions (p271-279)

    SUGGESTED READING (p280-283)

    POSTSCRIPT (p284-286)

    INDEX (p287-298)

    AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY (p299)
Return to Essay-Set #1: Focus on the Self-Liberation Philosophy
Return to Skill-Set #5: Your Smart Self-Talk Communication Skills